Emergency kit

Build a kit you can actually find.

Useful supplies, stored where you can reach them, updated before the batteries become relics.

Start with location

Where you keep it matters more than what's in it.

A perfect kit in the back of a closet you never open is less useful than a decent kit you can actually reach in the dark.

Pick a spot that's easy to access, dry, and somewhere you'd naturally look in a hurry. Tell the people you live with where it is.

• Easy to reach in low light or a hurry
• Up off the floor if your home is at risk of flooding
• Away from heat sources and direct sun
• Somewhere the people you live with also know about

What goes in

The 72-hour basics.

Start with the six things: water, food, health, light and power, people and information, and warmth and practical items.

You don't need everything at once. Pick one category, get it sorted, then add the next.

• Water

  Enough drinking water for everyone in your home, including pets. Roughly four litres per person per day is a common starting point.

• Food

  Non-perishables you'll actually eat, plus a manual can opener. Rotate it before it expires.

• Health

  Medication, first aid, medical supplies, and anything your body relies on daily.

• Light and power

  Flashlight, batteries, power bank, charging cable, and a crank or battery radio.

• Warmth

  Blankets, warm layers, sturdy footwear, and seasonal gear.

• Practical stuff

  Cash in small bills, copies of documents, keys, hygiene supplies, and a whistle.

Small spaces

No basement? No problem.

Apartments and rentals work fine. A backpack or a couple of stacked bins in a closet counts. The goal is reachable, not regal.

If storage is tight, prioritize water, medication, a flashlight, and a way to charge your phone.

Keep it fresh

Update it before you need it.

Food, water, medication, and batteries all expire. Set a reminder to check your kit a few times a year.

Use the seasonal reset checklist to walk through it when the weather changes.